Amit Shah Advocates Indian-Origin Scripts for Tribal Languages, Addresses Kokborok Script Debate

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Joint Regional Official Language Conference in Agartala, emphasizing that cultural preservation requires Indian-origin scripts rather than foreign alternatives. His remarks come amid Tripura's ongoing debate over the official script for Kokborok, where the BJP favors Bengali or Devanagari while tribal groups demand Roman script.

Shah championed the Nagari script for languages lacking formalized writing systems, arguing it would strengthen *linguistic legacies* while providing standardization. He questioned how *foreign-derived scripts* could genuinely safeguard native identities, calling for consensus to prevent social division.

The Home Minister also stressed parental responsibility in teaching mother tongues at home, warning that children risk becoming *strangers to their own roots* without native language fluency. Addressing concerns about Hindi imposition, Shah described Hindi and regional languages as *siblings* in a collaborative framework rather than competitors, maintaining that linguistic diversity strengthens rather than fragments national unity.